5 Nigerian answers to the “How old are you” question

You are at a birthday party, singing the happy birthday song to the celebrant. Then you get to the main part of the singing,

How old areee youuu noooow?

And everybody looks at the celebrant like.

There are six types of answers you’ll get from Nigerians. Only one is the truth. These are the rest.

1. School age

Remember when you were first entered secondary school and you asked that one person that looked like the class ancestor their age, and the answer shocked you.

Well, they might have actually looked old, or they were just probably lying. But you couldn’t even argue with them, because their punches were as advanced as their aged. So you just dance to their music.

2. Football age

This one may be happening everywhere, but Nigerians don’t carry last in this department. We have miraculous cases, like Julius Aghahowa, who first played for Nigeria at the age of 17 in ’99, but had previously played for two Nigerian clubs where people kicked the ball like juggernauts.

Must be the super powers. Must be.

3. Music age

We tried to put ourselves in Kiss Daniel’s shoes. Maybe he’s trying to count from the time he was in the womb, or from the day he was born, or from the day he decided to become a singer. Or maybe its deeper, like how we are all as old as the universe since energy can neither be created or destroyed and the initial energy that created us is where he wants to count from.

We are confused too.

4. Career age

You see a a job opening. It says maximum of 25 years old for applicants. You are sad because you’ll be 29 next month.

Then you remember that people call you Babyface, so you just adjust your age to your face.